Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing The Environment Agency's environmental protection budget to 2009-2010 levels.

Funding for the Environment Agency's work is closely monitored and regularly reviewed against the Government's strategic and statutory goals for the environment, and to ensure that the EA can continue to carry out its statutory duties.

This includes tackling environmental offences - last year record fines were handed to water companies, making clear polluters will pay. The EA's total budget this year is £1.650 billion, 18% of Defra's budget. This includes new ring-fenced money for specific enforcement activities as well as 4,000 more farm inspections and 500 more sewage treatment works inspections per year.

We are currently going through aspects of business planning for the next financial year and will have a discussion with the agency about the priorities for the Government funding.